


Avowal Antigen

by CatrinaSL



Series: Three Things [129]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Natasha Romanov, Avowal Antigen, Background Bruce/Jane/Thor, Background Clint/Tony, Ceiling Vent Natasha Romanov, Enthusiastic Consent, Everything is consensual here, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Jewelry, M/M, Matching Jewelry, Minor Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov, Multi, Not sex pollen, OT3, Polyamory, Romantic Loki, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS, Steve hates microwave popcorn, Stuffed Dragon, Stuffed Toys, Suggestive Themes, Three Things, Whipped Cream, but sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 04:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14036133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: Darcy, Loki, and Steve are unaffected when a biological emergency in one of the labs causes everyone else to admit feelings they had previously been denying.





	Avowal Antigen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Whyndancer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whyndancer/gifts).



> Whyndancer prompted Stuffed Dragon, Whipped cream, matching jewelry.
> 
> Thank you to [polyshipprompts.tumblr.com](http://polyshipprompts.tumblr.com/post/171866960609/imagine-your-whole-polyship-getting-dosed-with-a) for the inspiration for this fic.

"Jane, do you—oh."

Darcy backed quickly out of the lab and shut the door.

"Darcy."

She turned and spotted Loki coming down the hallway, escorted by Steve.

"Hi..." Darcy began, leaning against the closed door in the least uncomfortable way possible. "You're probably looking for his brother, right?"

"Yeah, he asked me to escort Loki to the break room for some coffee."

"Thank you for making it," Loki said, saluting her with the to-go cup.

"You're totally welcome," Darcy told him, but it sounded different from the way she usually said it.

"Are you all right?" Steve asked. "You seem... nervous."

"Fine, yeah, totally fine," Darcy lied. "You're bringing Loki back to Thor?"

"Yes..." Steve replied, frowning.

"Why don't we go hang out in the common room instead? Like we did last week? I won't make popcorn this time, I promise."

"I quite liked the popcorn," Loki put in.

"Darcy," Steve said, leaning closer to her. "If something's wrong, you can tell me."

"Wrong?" Darcy repeated. "Nothing's  _ wrong _ . Everything's great! Thor is just... occupied right now. With Jane."

"Oh," Steve said, his frown going from concerned to confused, and then lifting as he caught on to what she was trying to say. " _ Oh _ ."

"And Bruce," Darcy added.

Steve looked surprised, but Loki laughed. "It's about time!"

"I know, right?" Darcy agreed. "But I mean, in the lab? In the middle of the work day? When they know you guys are on your way back? Not exactly an opportune moment to finally resolve that sexual tension."

A moment of slightly awkward silence followed this declaration, and then Loki cleared his throat. "So, popcorn?"

* * *

"Holy— _ what _ is going on today?!" Darcy gasped, stopping both Loki and Steve before either of them could get an eyeful of the scene in the common kitchen.

Steve opened his mouth to ask, but Darcy shook her head and ushered both he and Loki back down the hallway. "On second thought, let's just hang out in my room."

Loki attempted to crane his neck to see what the fuss was, but Darcy grabbed him by the tunic and hauled him off.

"Can you at least  _ tell _ us—" Steve began.

Darcy shook her head. "Wait."

She showed them inside her apartment and closed the door, then sighed and said, "I am not going to be able to eat whipped cream ever again."

Loki raised both his eyebrows and glanced at Steve.

"And that's all I'm saying about it," Darcy declared, flopping down on her couch and gathering a nearby stuffed animal into her arms.

"Where did you get the dragon?" Steve asked.

"Loki gave it to me last time he was here," she said.

"You were off saving the world," Loki told Steve.

"We marathoned Golden Girls," Darcy informed him.

Steve looked hurt. "Without me?"

"I said  _ Golden _ Girls, not  _ Gilmore _ Girls," Darcy clarified.

Steve joined her on the couch and she passed the dragon over. "His name's Jörmungandr."

"Cute," Steve said, and smiled up at Loki.

"So Gilmore Girls, then?" Darcy asked.

"As long as there's popcorn," Loki agreed.

Steve groaned, but Darcy winked at Loki and headed to the kitchen to pop some. She smiled as she watched Steve fiddle with the remote control. There were definitely too many buttons on the thing, but he was getting better at figuring out which ones he had to push to get his favorite show on the TV.

Darcy sighed again and leaned on the counter. "I've kind of been waiting for Thor, Jane, and Bruce to pick out matching jewelry, but I didn't even know Clint and Tony  _ liked _ each other like that."

"They do, they just hid it well," came a new voice. Darcy jumped, which made both Steve and Loki jump off the couch.

"Natasha, how long have you been here?" Steve asked.

"I just arrived."

" _ How _ ?" Loki asked, glancing from Natasha to the door and back.

"Vents," she replied.

"Okay, now do 'why?'" Darcy requested.

"I was upstairs in Tony's lab when JARVIS alerted me to a biological emergency in Bruce and Jane's lab. I was able to work with him to keep it contained to the upper floors, so it only affected the Avengers. He says it'll—"

It was amazing to Darcy that Natasha got that far before Steve jumped off the couch and started asking questions. Loki seemed upset, too, but as she and Natasha tried to quiet them so she could keep explaining, Darcy noticed that they were mostly upset on  _ her _ behalf, and angry that  _ she _ wasn't safe.

"JARVIS says he is already working on getting it contained, and everyone should be fine in a couple of hours," Natasha said loudly. She looked annoyed that she had to shout Steve and Loki down.

"Okay, but why weren't  _ we _ all over each other?" Darcy wanted to know. "We were right outside the lab, but Tony and Clint weren't. How does that work?"

"And why weren't  _ you _ affected?" Loki added.

"I'm an aromantic asexual," Natasha told him matter-of-factly. "I don't do attraction."

"But you and Hill—" Steve began.

"Are in a committed  _ platonic _ relationship," Natasha interrupted.

She let him digest that and continued: "According to JARVIS, the love potion or whatever it is only impacted people who were in  _ denial _ about their attraction."

"So Tony and Clint are attracted to each other but they were in denial about it?" Darcy asked.

"Apparently," Natasha replied.

Darcy snorted. "How many times have you heard Bruce say, 'Doctor Foster is just a colleague' whenever someone tries to call him out on how the lab is basically Flirtsville, USA?" 

"Too many times," Steve answered with a shake of his head.

"But shouldn't we separate them?" Darcy wondered.

Natasha shook her head. "Surveillance footage shows that the three in the lab had a conversation before the scene you walked in on." She nodded at Darcy. "And I contacted Tony as soon as JARVIS alerted me to the problem. He was on his way to find Clint and confess his feelings."

Steve let out a long sigh and shook his head. "This is a really dangerous substance," he said.

"JARVIS has it under control," Natasha assured him.

"I want to know the answer to the question Darcy asked earlier," Loki said, eyeing Natasha suspiciously. "Why aren't the three of us suffering under this 'biological emergency?'"

"Because you're not in denial," Natasha replied.

"Not... in denial?" Steve repeated.

"You're all three crazy about each other, but you must have each accepted that."

Darcy considered Natasha's words while Loki and Steve considered each other.

"I mean... you're not wrong," Darcy admitted.

"I mostly came to tell you not to leave the floor," Natasha said. "I'm going to go back up to Tony's lab and supervise JARVIS' progress. I'll let you know when it's safe to leave."

Steve watched her go, but Loki watched Darcy. When the door shut behind Natasha, the microwave beeped.

"So, we should talk about this," Darcy began as she retrieved the popcorn.

She looked up to find that Steve and Loki were kissing.

"Or not."

"No, you're right," Steve said, though he was a little out of breath and still had both hands on Loki's face. "We  _ should _ talk about it."

"What's there to talk about?" Loki asked, letting go of a fistful of Steve's shirt to hold his hand out to Darcy.

"We can keep it short," Darcy said, stepping over to join them.

"Good idea," Steve agreed. "I like you."

"Which one of us were you taking to?" Darcy wanted to know.

"Both of you," Steve said, leaning closer to her.

"Hang on, I already said Natasha was right, so that was my turn, but Loki hasn't gone yet."

Loki looked annoyed, and grudgingly admitted: "Fine. I want you both."

"Is this just a physical thing, or—?"

"You didn't question  _ him _ so much!" Loki protested.

"No, but Steve exudes sincerity. I can tell he's all 'picket fences and PTA meetings' just from those three words."

Steve beamed at Darcy, and they both turned to Loki expectantly.

"I want to cherish you," Loki said reluctantly. "I want to make you laugh, hold you when you cry, and encourage you on the days that you can't save everyone. I want to be yours." 

He pulled Darcy closer and set his forehead against Steve's. "And I want you both to be mine."

"That sounds amazing," Steve said.

"Satisfied?" Loki asked them.

Darcy grinned. "Not yet."

**Author's Note:**

> [Prompt a Three Things fic!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7S2MbkK0CxVHMG3kF8CD6fYqD0zwY-J6MqLb21nmFyRpE4w/viewform)
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/172071048393/avowal-antigen)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


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